“I'll see if I can get the Aucharians to help. Otherwise we might be taking whatever we get paid for this run and making like civilians. I think the crew deserves a vacation on Enreega.”
“It would also give your daughter a chance to catch up to us,” Ashley pointed out as she checked the pilot's station.
“Exactly. It would give the crew a chance to contact their families and get some rest too.”
“Won't the politicians want you to follow them around for a while sir? You know, now that you're a bit of a celeb,” Stephanie asked with a wry grin.
Captain Valance cringed visibly. “Okay, maybe we'll find a port that isn't quite right in their political center.”
“Coming out of hyperspace in five seconds,” Ashley announced.
Jake moved to the copilot's seat and was ready just in time.
The defensive platform cleared them in short order and their vessel was scanned by small support craft as they were directed to the main military port. Once there they dropped the captured cargo hauler and its train, leaving it behind for the Privateering committee to assess and manage, they were directed to dock with the large, round hospitality ring at one end of the massive shipyard.
Every class of ship was in for repair or upkeep. There was more military hardware there than any of them had ever seen in one place and the Samson was allowed into the area because of its status amongst the Privateers. It was the unofficial flagship for the unofficial fleet.
The hospitality docking area was under what looked like a shelf and when the Samson latched on they were hidden on top and bottom by the massive hull of the sub-base. Ashley worked through her post flight list with Jake's help. “You seem distracted,” he said quietly.
She looked at him and smiled uneasily. “I've never seen anything like this. I should feel safe with all this around but I don't. These warships are huge, but they're half wrecked. Makes me wonder what would happen if the Samson ever got caught in a real fight.”
Jake looked around the cockpit. Finn was scrolling through the profiles of all the different ships in the area on a secondary display at his engineering station and Stephanie was right there looking on, commenting on some of the more interesting military vessels. It occurred to him then that none of them had seen this kind of thing, but it still didn't feel new or unusual to him. “It's almost like any other port. The real differences are that everyone here knows who we are and we're on their side. This is the safest place in the galaxy for us right now. As far as the Samson getting caught by a big warship, well, we're a lot more manoeuvrable and faster than most ships in that class.”
“That doesn't mean I'd ever want to experience it.”
“I can't disagree with you,” Jake replied with a thin smile.
Finn and Stephanie were still looking through a display of ships in the area. “This destroyer has forty eight guns and it's only three hundred meters long. Some of these ships are just downright malicious looking,” Stephanie commented.
“But look at the damage. This cruiser's got so many holes in its starboard side that I'm surprised it made it back to port. More than half the ships here are in for serious repair.” Finn said as he brought up the profile of a six hundred meter long multi-role cruiser. It had fighter bays, and was loaded down with guns and armour. “I hope they have five ships out there for every one that's in for repair.”
“Better hope for fifty,” Stephanie said. “Regent Galactic is much larger than this government and their systems. RG has a couple hundred worlds, most of which produce a profit. Their military has to be pretty impressive.”
“It is. Good thing this won't be our fight for much longer. It's just about time to move on,” Captain Valance said as she got out of the copilot's seat. “Any transmissions from the station?”
Cynthia was sorting through the advertising and other chaff, trying to find important messages. “Just the regular acknowledgements and advertising. I think I've almost got a filter built. Too bad I couldn't figure Burke's out, it would have saved me a lot of time.”
“I'm not surprised. He was a good comms man but he didn't like anyone else using his tools.” Jake watched her sort through the messages for a moment before his personal communicator silently signalled that he had an incoming call. He checked it and sat down in the command chair before bringing up the holographic representation of Minister Timmer on his arm command unit. “We just received the initial report on your capture Captain Valance. Word has already been leaked to the press, we don't know how. Regardless of that, congratulations are in order.”
“I hope I've met your expectations.”
“You've far surpassed them. I expected you to take down a few supply ships, perhaps capture a scout or picket vessel if we're lucky. Taking on an armed hauler with thirty warships has several departments very happy you're on our side. I had to give the treasury department a direct order to issue your reward, otherwise they would have stalled for as long as possible. You've caught everyone by surprise.”
“I hope it makes a difference.”
“Oh, it will. We'll be putting these vessels into service as soon as possible.”
“What you do with them is your business. I'm wondering if you've had any word on Alice.”
“If she's headed here we will know something soon. If she's coming in our direction someone will report it. I expect she'll have to stop to refuel along the way. You'll be the first to know anything, trust me. I'm wondering, are you going back out straight away?”
“No, we're taking a break. The crew haven't had a chance to stretch their legs in a while.”
“They deserve leave after your most recent capture, as do you. I recommend you find somewhere small, quiet. You're becoming a popular man, the press is after you as hard as anyone from Regent Galactic.”
“Being too popular isn't good for someone in my occupation Minister. I'll wait for the treasury department to deposit our reward then we'll be on our way.”
“Thank you Captain. If we had a dozen more of you we might just win this thing. Good luck.”
The channel closed and Jake Valance sat there for a moment. The question everyone on the bridge wanted to ask just hung over them like a wet blanket. What was the bonus? The payday sounded huge, but how big was it really?
“Regular crew will be getting a bonus. Everyone else has one hour to figure out whether they're staying or going. Make sure they know we may not be doing any more privateering,” he told Stephanie.
“Yes sir, we'll be undermanned.”
“I know. We'll probably be down to fifteen.”
“How big of a bonus do you think?” Ashley asked in a hushed whisper.
“Big enough to get out of this war zone and not look back.”
“What about our obligation to the Aucharian government?”
“They already have enough footage to run a miniseries thanks to the recorders built into our armour and the Samson's holographic sensor logs. I sent everything ahead from hyperspace so they'd know what they would be dealing with when we arrived.”
“That explains why port control knew what to do with us as soon as we entered the area.”
“They may not like it, but after we've delivered thirty combat ready ships they shouldn't complain about it.”
“There's a message from Frost marked urgent,” Cynthia announced. “It came in with the communications packet but I didn't find it until now.”
“Put it on the main display,” Captain Valance said with a sigh.
“It says it's for your eyes only.”
“Sure it is. Put it up anyway.”
“Yes sir,” Cynthia said with a smirk.
A moment later Frost's head and shoulders appeared on the main holographic display on the bridge and Ashley recoiled exaggeratedly. “God, that's just gruesome.”
“Captain, it's a difficult thing ta admit, but I've seen the error of my ways.” He paused for a moment, red faced and not looking straight into his wrist recorder. “Silver and Burke drained my acc
ounts and made off with me savin's. I'm marooned on Ao Katamari with nothin'. I've been marked as a ship thief so no Captain will have me. I pray on yer kindness sir, I'll serve on the Samson as an able crewman if that's yer pleasure, just make your way over and pick me up in Ian Vale Market. Please, there's no one else.”
The communication cut off and as everyone else on the bridge went into hysterics Captain Valance just lowered his head. When the mirth subsided Stephanie shook her head. “Ao Katamari, wow, that is a good place to find a ship, but a two meter by one meter night chamber costs over five thousand credits. That is unless you end up in the lower levels. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even Frost.”
“We'd better go pick him up. I know the Market he's talking about.”
“We're taking Frost on again?” Ashley said with a groan.
“I'll make leaving you alone a condition of his service, don't worry. That and he'll have to deal with our new First Officer,” he said, eyeing Stephanie. “That should bruise his ego a bit, but at least I won't have to look for a new tactical officer.”
“Good point,” Finn commented. “Just looking at the controls for the maxjack gives me a headache.”
“All right, we'll take four hours to make the ship ready with some help from the station, give anyone who wants to depart a chance to disembark and then we'll make best speed to Ao Katamari and hope Frost hasn't found even more trouble.” Captain Valance ordered.
The Price Of The Evening
He had kept everything she left there in a drawer under his bed. Alice was surprised and starting to realize that the ten weeks they spent together made a huge impact on him. The night before was just like old times. The fact that she had been gone didn't so much as come up.
Alice had forgotten how much he made her laugh. How safe and content she felt when she was with him. For a few hours and through the restful sleep that followed she felt like all the pressures she was under, the urgency in her life was far, far away.
They had both woken up when one of his five crew members woke him up. He had to help load their latest cargo. So he kissed her neck, wrapped the sheets around her and left.
The light mood and contentedness of the night before had begun to fade while she was in the shower. He had a custom water shower built into his quarters, something especially rare in space and she had tried it for the first time shortly after meeting him. It was a luxury, something no one did for fear of drowning if the gravity ever gave out while the water was on and because it put more pressure on a ship's recycling systems. Pulse showers were common in space, they shook particles of dead skin and dirt off of the body and gathered them in a reservoir. Some of them even converted the waste material into energy. No risk of drowning, but the feeling, of which there was little to none since the vibrations were so quick and finely tuned, was completely different. It just didn't seem as cleansing.
As she brushed her hair thoughts of just staying around for a while were difficult to dismiss. Alice just didn't want to leave. She was filled with a kind of regret, a sort of dread that she didn't understand before she had become human. As an artificial intelligence she could store the memories of the last night perfectly and revisit them in every detail whenever she liked, the only thing missing was the spontaneity and unpredictable nature of a new experience. As a human things were vastly different. The memories were already fading, the emotions were already tainted with the thought of leaving, the idea of having to tell him she was only passing through. At least she'd have the chance to tell him this time, to say goodbye just in case she could never return.
Her brooding was interrupted as the door slid open. Bruce smiled, stepping inside so the door closed behind him and he just looked at her.
She smiled back, very aware that she was wearing nothing but a towel.
“Want to come along for a run to the third planet? Our cargo won't keep for long.”
“I wish I could,” she replied sadly.
Bruce sat down beside her and took off his work gloves. “You took Wendy's run to Yuelle Varr.”
Alice leaned against him and He put his arm around her shoulders. “I had to. I found my father, he's looking for me. If I don't take this I won't have enough fuel to make the trip.”
“That overgrown fighter. You should sell it and buy something that refuels every twenty years like the Skipper.”
She ignored his comment, it was an old argument and she knew that wasn't what was frustrating him. “I'm sorry, I have to go find him.”
“Why can't he just come out here? Why doesn't he come after you? He's your father for God's sake.”
“I can't risk sending a relayed transmission.”
“Right, the guys who're after you. The ones that hauled me off.”
She looked up at his face. He didn't seem as angry as she expected to be when this came up. She knew they'd talk about it eventually. “I'm so sorry.”
“Don't worry, they just roughed me up for a couple hours, dug around in my brain with some kind of scanner and knocked me out for a couple weeks. I woke up in a crate they had dropped off for the crew. You should have seen their faces. It was almost worth it.”
“I wish I could have warned you. I never meant-”
Bruce cupped one of her cheeks in his hand. His eyes told her everything she needed to know about how he felt. “If I could follow you I would. If I could make the galaxy safe for you somehow-”
“I know,” was all she could manage through the oncoming tears.
There was so much pain, he was used to being in control of everything around him and knew there was nothing he could do to change her mind, to make her stay. “Just come back. Some day when it's safe, or when you're tired of running. Tell me how you are, where you are if you can. I'll be here, you know I'll be here.”
She nodded, wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “I will. As soon as I can I will.”
They held each other for long minutes until the intercom beeped. “We're just about ready Captain.”
“I'll be up in a minute,” his voice didn't show the merest hint of what was going on in his quarters.
They let each other go and he tilted her chin up, wiping her tears away again with big, gentle fingers. “I love you. Don't forget us out here,” he whispered.
“I'll never forget,” she replied before kissing him briefly.
“Be safe out there,” he stood and made for the door.
“I love you Bruce,” she said before it could open.
“Just don't wait too long,” he said quietly as he left.
She washed her face, got dressed and quietly made her way off the ship.
On his way to the bridge Bruce stopped inside an empty bunk room and activated a computer terminal. Without looking at the keys he typed in the twenty seven digit code to open a secure channel and proceeded to punch in the ninety one point alphanumeric pass code. The signal travelled through the station's communications network to satellites in dead space then to a micro wormhole generating transmitter.
He turned and started tidying up, smoothing down creases in the made beds, blowing out the dusty corners on the small desk and straightening the chair. It was all in the programming. If he were to remember anything about what he was about to do it would be heavily overshadowed by his memory of straightening up. He wouldn't know why he was doing it, but he didn't have to. As long as there was a memory to fill the lost time he would suffer while waiting for the transmission to be acknowledged.
The computer terminal signalled that someone on the other end of the transmission had received the codes. He turned, entered in the coordinates of Yuelle Varr, a description of Alice's ship and its approximate expected arrival time then shut the terminal down.
A moment later he had arrived at the bridge hatchway with nothing but the sorrow of a parting lover on his mind and in his heart.
More Trouble
The planet was one massive city divided into thousands of districts. Millions of buildings reached for the sky, a few were even
taller than the environmental control facilities that punctured the grey blue sky with their rods and platforms. Most travellers considered the entire planet a port, since no one could imagine anyone in their right mind staying to try to make a life amongst the sixteen billion inhabitants.
The ground had disappeared ages ago, before anyone living could remember what it looked like. Smog choked the inhabitants of the lower cities while the criss crossing walkways and guide rails going around, through and between most of the tall structures blocked out the sun. As one moved higher up they found everything became more expensive. If you were to go further down to find what you wanted things got dangerous, competitive and selection tapered off. The poor, desperate and hidden folk ruled the congested underside. Anyone who could avoid taking a trip beneath the upper districts did. The underside had a reputation for swallowing less fortunate travellers.
The Samson set down on a landing platform that billed by the hour. It was only twelve levels down from the sun baked upper section. The closest place they could find to Frost's refuge.
“Last time we were here I wasn't allowed off ship. This should be interesting,” Stephanie said as they walked away from the Samson. The rest of the crew, lead by Ashley and Finn, were beginning their inspection of the outer hull. They had orders to not leave the platform.
There was no decontamination chamber, security checkpoint or duty post. Just a beat up port listing panel for declaring any goods for trade, announcements and browsing the bulletin boards. Any other programming or information cost extra.
Captain Valance didn't bother using the panel, he brought up a map of the area on his command control unit. “Last time we came here I brought four heavily armed boarding crew.”
Steph looked down at the rifle in her hands and shook her head. “Just me this time?”
“I don't plan on staying long enough to find trouble.”
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